Israel fears foreign companies will cease operations in Israel • Israeli airlines and travel agents have already lost millions due to the decision: "This is discrimination"
The decision not to allow the sale of airline tickets during the closure period caused the airlines heavy damages, even though in practice they have a permit to fly, as well as passengers who purchased airline tickets before the closure began.
Writer: Shimon Yaish, Photography: Gil Kramer, Editing: Gilad Distelman
The situation is so serious that there is a fear that "ghost flights" will soon leave Israel - that is, flights that are completely or almost completely empty.
This situation can be caused by the fact that the corona crisis period is characterized by quite a bit of uncertainty, and as a result most Israelis have booked flights mainly for near dates, this is because the countries to which they fly may change their policies from time to time.
As a result, there are almost no advance bookings for the post-Sukkot period, which will lead to empty flights or with very few passengers departing from Israel, and fuller flights back to Israel - all at the expense of the airlines.
For example, Israir has 12,000 seats on flights for the near future, of which only about 6,000 have been sold.
Due to this, the company petitioned the High Court on the matter, but it was rejected for technical reasons.
In a conversation that the airline's CEO, Uri Sirkis, had with "Israel Today", he referred to the situation that is stirring the industry: "Even the acting head of the public health services is in favor of our position.
The plane is the safest capsule - people leave their homes in their vehicles, have been tested and received a negative result for the virus, pass through Ben Gurion Airport, which is a supervised area, and also on the plane everyone has undergone corona tests and everyone is wearing masks. "
According to Sirkis, the statistics at Ben Gurion Airport show that every day between one and two passengers return from "green" countries.
"This is a very low number that explains how safe it is. Even though only half of the tickets for the flights between October 4 and 10 were sold, we will clean the flights because we have a commitment to do so, but we will lose money. This ban causes us more than $ 2 million in damage." , said.
Yesterday (Wednesday) about 4,000 passengers passed through Ben Gurion Airport, a relatively high number for the Corona period, but the numbers are expected to fall in the coming days. Those who fly during the closure period will also have to sign a document stating that they purchased the ticket before the closure begins. Even arrived at the airport yesterday to make sure enforcement was indeed being carried out on the spot.
El Al and Arkia, which are returning to operations after a few months of hiatus, are also hurt by the decision - but they cannot sell airline tickets.
Yesterday, the company's first passenger flight in four months, which was delayed by almost five hours following a technical malfunction that caused the plane to be replaced, departed for Athens, Greece.
The aviation industry fears that foreign airlines will cease operations in the country following the ban on the sale of tickets.
Among the big casualties from the decision are travel agents who cannot continue to work and market vacations.
The travel agency association is sharply attacking the outline: "The industry has managed with the rest of its strength to raise its head slightly with minimal activity for the holiday season, and the state, without any epidemiological justification, has shelved some hope and chance of recovery called 'equality'. Karni, chairman of the association.
Aviation expert David Schafercher also referred to the ban, saying the government's decision was scandalous and contrary to the principles of freedom of movement and human dignity and liberty. "The decision is in stark contrast to a number of international texts such as the UN Declaration of Human Rights "The aviation that Israel has signed. According to these texts, a person's freedom should not be denied, which is a supreme value," said Schaeffer.
The Ministry of Transportation responded: "The outline that regulates the activity of the aviation industry during the closure is balanced and proportionate, maintains the functional continuity of the aviation industry and does not harm those who purchased flight tickets abroad before the arrangement.
It also allows Israelis to enter the country without restriction, in accordance with established rules. "